A hearing device is of very limited use for a hearing device user if it is not specifically adjusted to the hearing needs and preferences of the hearing device user. This applies in particular to hearing-aid devices.
The corresponding individual adjusting is referred to as “fitting”.
In many cases, in particular when it comes to hearing-aid devices, the fitting can be roughly divided into two phases. In a first phase, a fitting rationale is applied to an audiogram of the hearing device user and possibly additional data. The result can be referred to as baseline-fitting or initial fitting or first-fitting. A fitting rationale such as Phonak Adaptive Digital, NAL-NL1, DSL-[i/o] or others, can be considered an algorithm that can be fed with audiogram data and possibly additional data, whereupon it outputs parameter settings, more particularly transfer curves such as a multitude of frequency-dependent amplifications for various input levels or the like. Adjusting the hearing device according thereto, will usually result in a relatively good initial fitting (good initial parameter settings), but many further adjustments are usually necessary for a satisfactory hearing experience.
These further adjustments, making up the second fitting phase, is referred to as “fine-tuning”. Fine-tuning requires a lot of experience and time and therefore patience from both, the hearing device user and the fitter.
Today, the fitting or at least the fine-tuning is carried out by means of a fitting software running on a computer system. A fitting system usually comprises that computer system with said fitting software and, usually, also some interfaces and the hearing system to be fitted itself.
The fitting and in particular the fine-tuning process is rather complicated, in particular due to rather complex interdependencies, e.g., interdependencies between various fitting parameters, interdependencies between fitting parameters and properties of the hearing system, and interdependencies between fitting parameters and data related to the hearing system user and his hearing, respectively.
Current fitting software employs the well-known techniques of toolbars, menus, drop-down lists, pop-up boxes, wizards and the like. E.g., sequential dependencies are reflected in a wizard, which guides the user of the fitting system through a rigid process flow. Or a dependency is reflected in a pop-up box informing the user of the fitting system of the dependency, thus allowing the user of the fitting system to consider that dependency when editing data; or the pop-up box (a pop-up box being a modal dialog blocking the application) requests the user of the fitting system to make a decision how to treat a potential conflict.
There exists fitting software which offers the presentation of “histories” or “summaries” of “fitting overviews” by means of which the user of the fitting system shall gain some overview over the fitting process so far. By means of these, all actions taken and all potential or real conflicts are presented to the user of the fitting system.